The present invention relates to personal mobility apparatus, such as wheelchairs. It finds particular application in conjunction with wheelchairs for sporting and athletic activities and will be described with particular reference thereto. It is to be appreciated, however, that the invention is applicable to daily use as well as other specialized uses.
Heretofore, wheelchairs have primarily been designed to provide transportation, often with an emphasis on user comfort, portability, and the like. Many wheelchair users demand more than mere transportation. There is a growing interest in athletic activities and sports among wheelchair users. The prior art wheelchairs tended to lack the responsiveness, maneuverability, durability, and other characteristics demanded for wheelchair sports and athletic activities.
Many of the wheelchairs being used for athletic and sporting activities are variations and adaptations of the prior art wheelchairs. Some manufacturers have adapted their existing wheelchairs for sporting use. Some wheelchair athletes have custom built their own wheelchairs for sporting and athletic activities often using parts cannibalized from the prior art wheelchairs. An exemplarly wheelchair which is used for sporting and athletic activities is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,540, issued September 1982 to J. P. Minnebraker. The Minnebraker wheelchair provides for vertical and fore-and-aft adjustments of the rear wheel, fore-and-aft and side-to-side adjustments of a front wheel, and for easy replacement of a user seat assembly.
Although the Minnebraker wheelchair provided for improved adjustability as demanded by the wheelchair athletes, it still had certain drawbacks. First, the rear wheel mounting assembly was relatively heavy and provided limited adjustment. Specifically, the rear wheel mounting assembly for each wheel included a pair of plates each of which were punched with discrete axle receiving apertures. The use of two plates increased the weight and the use of discrete axle receiving apertures limited adjustability. Second, the front wheel assembly was not vertically adjustable. Third, the seat assembly was relatively heavy and added weight to the chair.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved sports wheelchair which overcomes the above referenced problems and others to provide a wheelchair which is ideally suited for sports and athletic activities.